Using a dental autoclave as a dishwasher?

Sep 09, 2006 10 Replies

So for me, doing the washing up is the most boring thing...



Just wondering.. what if I was to use a dental autoclave to wash stuff. It would eat electricity.. but it heats stuff like spoons up to 200C (or something) under pressure - kills all germs...


I live in student halls with a shared kitchen.. can' t really buy a dishwasher.. even if I could somehow install it.. and I was allowed.. it may get nicked/damaged



The message from snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com contains these words:

It might sterilise it - but it won't get the lumps of food off.

No problem then, the lumps of remaindered now sterile food wouldn't be harmful to eat with the next dish?

:-)

Sterilising doesn't neutralise toxins produced by some bacteria, not does it stop bacteria re-inhabiting the food residues afterwards.

... and bakes the left-over food on to the cutlery. You would then also have to clean the autoclave.

When I was a student we used to go to the local catering wholesaler and buy large quantities of paper plates, plastic cutlery and the like.

On the other hand if you wrapped fish and vegetables in aluminium foil you could probably COOK them in an autoclave.

John

Now, I've always convinced myself that even if I left gunk on my roasting tins it didn't matter too much, as being in the oven cooking the next time would kill anything nasty. Are you saying that isn't the case?

I can understand that if you leave food for a while after cooking, bacteria will start developing again, but if you eat straight after cooking at a high temperature will be OK.

So, he could use the autoclave immediately before using the stuff again and be OK.

(Sorry, it's either this or the Xtra Factor.)

If you've got access to a dental autoclave presumably you've also got access to dental nurses? In which case try chatting one (or more) up and inviting her/him/them (delete as applicable) round for dinner. Cook her/him/them a meal and she/he/they do the washing up.

And you might get a nice romantic discussion about periodontal disease over a glass of wine afterwards...

Owain

Or a dishwasher :

formatting link
it would work as well for a Steak and Kidney Pudding

DG

no

tatty used ones are cheap, no big if it gets nicked and unlikely if it looks a bit past its prime.

A lot of stuff can be washed in a washing machine. Cutlery in a laundry bag, plastic plates... use a hot wash and make sure everything is prerinsed or prewiped, or you'd clog the pump. Or face the rigours of adulthood and wash the dishes.

NT

I have worked in a couple of electronics labs where the portable environmental test oven was always in huge demand near christmas for heating up the sausage rolls!

Oh yes, heating cans of soup in the sample ovens. First job I had in chemistry lab.

Dave

Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required